Sanitary cube sugar dispenser



Jan. 6, 1942. c, A W 2,268,688

SANITARY CUBE SUGER DISPENSER Filed July 13, 1940 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENI R at ndrews ATTORN EYS Jan. 6, 1942. c. ANDREWS 2,268,688

SANITARY CUBE SUGER DISPENSER 7 Filed July 15, 1940 2 Sheets-$heet 2 4INVENTOR ATTORNEY-S restraint over the patrons.

Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANITARYoUBnsUGAR-nisPEivsnn Christopher Andrews, Seattle, Wash. ApplicationJuly 13, 1940, SerialNo.345,316 M 4 Claims. (01.312-63) My presentinvention relates to the general art of dispensing devices and moreparticularly to a sanitary cube sugar dispenser.

My dispenser consists essentially of providing a plurality of verticallydisposed guideways into 5;

which cubes of sugar are poured. These are visible through a transparentouter covering which protects the entire group of guide, -or storage,channels. At the bottom of each guideway is provided a dischargingmechanism which when operated, as by the finger, will deposit one cubein an underlying tray for each time the mechanism is pressed. Theconstruction of my dispenser is so arranged that the cubes have ampleroom in the guideways so that they can turn 515 under the pull ofgravity and stack up on each other with no tendency to clog, therebyeliminating the necessity of handling the same. When the device ischarged the'amount of remaining sugar is immediately visible through anenclosing transparent covering and while any user of the device mayobtain from it as many cubes as he desires, he has no opportunity ofhandling any cube except the ones dispensed as a result of his manualoperation.

The handling of cube sugar, particularly in public, or semi-public,eating houses such as restaurants, mess-halls, club-rooms, and the likehas always presented a perplexing problem. Be cause in these places anadequate supply of sugar must be available at all times and the operatorof the establishment normally can exercise no Then too, the necessity ofhaving an adequate supply of sugar on hand over reasonably long periodssubjects the same to the accumulation of dust, the inroads of insects,particularly flies, in addition to the fact that the hands of thepatrons as they select their own sugar from an open bowl may be veryvirulent germ carriers. It is to provide a satisfactory solution of thisperplexing problem that I have provided my sanitary cube sugardispenser.

The principal object of my present invention, therefore, is to provide asanitary housing for cube sugar from which the cubes may be individuallydispensed through the manual efiort of the person desiring the sugar. 7

A further object of my invention is to provide means for storing thesugar that will insure positive feeding of the cubes to the dischargingmechanism and, secondly, to so segregate the cubes and position them intheir respective guides without the necessity of the person who fillsthe dispenser having to touch the sugar by hand to di- 55 penseddesignates the base of my dispenser.

rectit into a position whereit can bedepended upon to dispense withcertainty.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a dispensingconed top for my storage member whichwill insurethe distribution of thesugar to the variousstorage grooves asthe sugar is poured into thedevice.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dispenser that willprotect the sugar from all the agencies that might contaminate it, suchas the patrons hands, flies and other insects, dust, or any other germcarrying media that might ordinarily come in contact with sugar in anopen bowl. I

Still another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which canbeso designed as to accommodate sugar of any of the standard shapes andsizes.

. vA further object of my invention is to provide a feeding mechanismwherein the sugar is urged accurately into position for dispensingthrough gravity alone.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

Figure 4 is a perspective View illustrating the sugar directin andstorage unit.

Figure 5 is an elevation in section as though out along a diameter of mydevice.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an exploded, bracketed view showingthe parts employed in oneform of satisfactory discharging means.

Figure 8 is a vertical, sectional view taken along the line 8-8 ofFigure 5.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken in the same sense as Figure 5,but showing the lower portion only of the same with sugar in positionand showing the manner in which the discharging mechanism dispensesindividual cubes of sugar.

Referring tothe drawings,- throughout which like reference charactersindicate like parts, I0 This should to properly an annular l2 as thefinal'resting place for the'dissugar and an inclined portion M which beof sufiicient weight and size so as support my dispenser and to providegroove reaches inwardly sufficiently far so that the sugar, as it isdispensed from the storage compartment, will slide, or roll, down thisincline and come to rest in groove [2 witnin easy sight and reach of theperson desiring it. Vertically disposed at the center of base ID is thesupporting and pivot rod 16. This rod may be suitably secured in base IDas by being threaded or cast into the same. It should have sufficientupward extent so that the upper end also can be threaded as at H toaccommodate a clamping hand nut l8. Pivotally disposed upon rod [6 issupport member 20 which is spaced above base ill by a suitable bearingor washer 22. Member 20 forms the supporting means for the revolvingmembers of my dispenser. These consist of the inner sugar guide andstorage member 24, and the outer protective covering 26, which may bemade of glass, plastic, or any other preferably transparent material.which are held in fixed relation to each other by the downward pressureexerted on the cover member 28 by member 18'.

The sugar distributing and storage member 24 is formed with a conicalupper portion 30 which serves because of its conical shape to distributethe sugar cubes as they are poured into the device into the plurality ofstorage guideways 32, of which there may be any desirable number.Grooves 32 are provided with parallel sides as 34 and 35 and a back wallmember 36 that is disposed atright angles to the two side walls. Thefront of the groove isopen and the sugar is retained in position by thesleeve-like outer covering 26. It is desired to point out that thegrooves 32 should be sufl'iciently larger than the cube of sugar with,which it is to be used, thus providing ample freedom so that a lump ofsugar can fall free and will not become wedged in the guideway as theusefulness of my device depends in part upon the certainty of-feedingthe sugar cubes downwardly as the lower ones are dispensed. At the lowerend of grooves 32 the side walls 34 and 35 are cut back at 38 so as notto interfere with the Webs 39 ofthe support member 20.

At the lower end of my dispensing chamber I have provided an annulardownwardly directed rim 40. This member which supports the outercovering tube 26 may be made as a part of support member 25 or as anindependent member supported by member 23. This overhanging flange as isprobably best illustrated in Figure serves to protect the lower lumps ofsugar from contamination in that it provides a seal for the same.Secured under rim 4!] and against the cylindrical portion of member 20,are a plurality of bearing members 42 one for each of the guide grooves32, Member 42 may be secured to the cylindrical portion in any suitablemanner as by a plurality of screws 43. Outstanding from bearing member42 are preferably spaced lugs 44 which form bearings for pin 46v whichin turn serves as the pivot member; for spring 48 and the operatinglever 55. Lever 50 is provided with a stop member at 5| which normallyabuts the end of the groove 53 formed in member 40 so as to providethatall the various levers 50 will come to rest at the same relativeposition so that as the machine is used all the levers will lie in thesame plane. At its lower end lever 50 is provided with a boss which hasa bifurcated bearing 54, in which is seated the pivot pin 55 which inturn positions the operating arm 51. Arm 51 passes through an elongatedopening 60 in the lower end of *the cylindrical portion of member 40- asis probably best illustrated in. Figures 8 and 9'.

This is the member that actually moves the sugar cube oil the annularshelf 62 which normally forms the stop for the column of sugar in eachof the grooves 32.

Method of operation In using my dispenser, assuming that it is empty,the first operation is to unscrew nut l8 and remove cover 28. Sugarcubes may then be poured from a scoop or other convenient means into thetop of the device; it will be noted that the cone portion 30 of member24 is disposed downwardly a short distance below the top of thecylindrical cover portion 28. As the sugar is then poured in on cone 30it will roll or slide down into the various grooves 32 and to assist inthis operation the sidewalls 34 and 35 converge to form a rather sharpdividing ridge at 64 so that the sugar cubes are naturally directed intothe various grooves 32. When the grooves are filled to the desiredextent, and if additional storage is desired the device isfilledabovethe grooves with sugar cubes resting on cone 30, the cover member 28 isput in place so that the downwardly extending flange thereof centers andsecures in position the upper margin of tube 26, the nut I8 is thenscrewed home and the device is' ready for dispensing. When a patrondesires a cube of sugar it onlynecessary to depress lever 50 by pressureon the-operating knob 52. This operation causes arm 51 to move inwardly,after the showing of Figure 9, and push the bottomiump of sugar in theselected groove 32 oh shelf 62 where it then falls upon cone M. Thesugar cube slides or rolls down cone l4 and comes to rest in the annulargroove l2 where it is within easy sight'of the patron and can be graspedby him without his being able to in any way contaminate the remainderofthe sugar, the same being adequately protected by shelf 52. It will beapparentitis believed that if a person desires a couple of lumps ofsugar it is a simple matter to, with a single operation, depress two oreven more levers 50 and thus with the same movement of his hand obtaintwo or more lumps of sugar.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed toclearly disclose a preferred embodiment. of my invention but it will beunderstoodthat this disclosure is merely illustrative and that suchchanges in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope andspirit of'the followingclaims.

I claim: I

1. A- dispensingcabinet for stacked articles comprising a base having areceptacle, a vertical supporting rod on said base, a cylinder on saidrod, a pluralityof vertically disposed lands on the posite walls of thelands converging to a point at their upper ends forming a flaringentrance to the grooves, and a conical distributing guide on the 'upperend of the cylinder to direct the articles to be stacked into saidflaring entrances, anda transparent sleeve fitted closely about thecylinder and enclosing the grooves.

2. In a dispensing cabinet for stacked articles the combination with abase having an annular groove forming a dispensing tray, an uprightsupporting pin mounted on the base, and a casing mounted on the pin andspaced above the base and having. an inner annular flange and opencenter bottom above. the tray, of an inner housing having exteriorguide-grooves within the casingziand closed by said. flange, atransparent sleeve fitting closely about said housing, and dispensingmeans for pushing inwardly the lowermost articles in each stack.

3. In a dispensing cabinet for stacked articles the combination with abase, a casing supported above the base and having a lower, inner,stacksupporting flange forming a central dispensing space, of an innerhousing having exterior guidegrooves within the casing and closed bysaid flange, a transparent sleeve fitting closely about 10 said housing,and dispensing means for pushing inwardly the lowermost articles in eachstack.

4. In a dispensing cabinet for stacked articles the combination with abase, a casing supported above the base and having a lower, inner,stacksupporting flange forming a central dispensing space, of an innerhousing having exterior guidegrooves within the casing and closed bysaid flange, a transparent sleeve fitting closely about said housing, acone-shaped distributing top above said guide grooves, and dispensingmeans for pushing inwardly the lowermost articles in each stack.

CHRISTOPHER ANDREWS.

